Had a 2003 Tundra at one point, and it had this feature. Called it something like auto-cranking... Weird at first, but then I kinda liked it. Never had a safety probem with it, but I'd rather the car start the old fashioned way. . . . with me in control.

 

To the post about it being dangerous....just move your foot slightly off the clutch. The second you lift a 1/2" it'll kill the starting.

And as far as technology, this was around in like 2004. Were in the push button days so were Behind the times

 

I knew about it before I got my car (May 2010), but still hold the key unitil it starts as I've done for the past 32 years. I have sucessfully trained myself NOT to pump the gas in all new cars since the 80's though !!

Push Button Start would be fine if I could keep the keys in my pocket and push a button.

But if I still got to put the key in somewhere THEN hit a button this would be really ASININE and a major turn off as far as considering purchasing a new car !!

Doug

 

I totally agree. Reminds me in a way of the new Fiesta having no way to turn off the traction control. Talk about stupid. Spinning the tires may get you out of a jam in certain cases. Otherwise you may be stuck in the snow. Good thinking Ford.

Agree again. Now what was the point of push button start? Are we so **** lazy we cant put the key in and turn it?? Some of these newe ideas border on total stupidity imo and will only lead to bigger problems and money down the road.

 

I think it's a nice feature. Especially on the cars that you just leave the key fob in your pocket and it automatically locks and unlocks the car for you.

 

The other thing is, how many sales people at the Ford dealerships know that this starting feature exists or at least how many if they do know, tell their customers about it?

Answer: VERY FEW...

 

If you want push button start, go back to the 1950's. A lot of cars had the starter button under the accelerator. Anyone else remember this? I also miss the foot operated dimmer switch and push button AT.

 

My '10 V6 doesn't do it. Gotta hold it. '10 Taurus DOES, and it kinda freaks me out.

 

My first vehicle....a '45 Ford pickup....had locking steering, push button start, ventless windows, and was a blast to drive....and this was in '67.

 

My car has done this about half dozen times it cranks for about 4or5 seconds then starts kind of strange.

 

I had the opposite happen with an 85 Prelude I owned around '00. A would be thief broke in but couldn't start the car because "he" didn't know how to deal with a carb.

 

I was not aware the car did this so thanks for the info. I do have a question though. Why do the gauges all spin over to the right when you turn the key forward but have not started it yet? I asked a buddy of mine why it did that in his STI and he said it was priming the fuel system or something and you were supose to let it do that before you cranked it over. Not sure how full of you know what he was so I though I would ask

 

Yes, I have had this about 3-4 times in a year. I have 15,000 on it. It happens so rarely though I haven't been able to correlate anything to it.. on a hill, tilted sideways or whatnot. Each time not more than 2 seconds though.

 

It's just for "coolness" factor really... the user thinks "all systems go" when they see it.

 

It's part of a self-diagnostic routine for the instrument cluster.

 

Sad day when the cluster goes bad if needle movement needs to go through a self-diagnostic routine. I have a car that does "self-diagnistics" upon startup that doesn't require the needles to pop through their motions. I think there is some bling factor here... I could test their functionality during a diagnositc routine that could leave them at "zero"... or baseline I would think. I guess it is good for me to see the speedometer move left and right upon startup at least so I remember to check the speed at least!

 

For those having starting issues in this thread, I believe there is a TSB that addresses it.

 

Yeah, that freaked me out a bit actually. My '05 Aviator would sweep the needles only after having the battery removed or when the battery was going bad. I don't care for it just because it always makes me thing something is wrong.

 

Yeah, I'm actually surprised that it isn't in the dash already.

 

my dad's 48 plymouth with 26k original miles on it has a chrome push button on the dash, while my 53 Chevy pick up I had used a floor start that was always powered. All you had to do was turn the key to on.